It will be Friend’s first appearance for Ventnor since 2014, having played all his youth cricket at Steephill.
He has not played regularly since winning the Premier Division batting award in 2019 when Bashley (Rydal) carried off the championship, although he turned out twice last season and scored fifties both times !
Henry Bartlett has also returned to the Ventnor fold having last played for them in 2015.
Ventnor: Woodhouse, Attrill, Bartlett, Blackman, C Calloway, H Calloway, Friend, Morgan, Snell, Thimodya, Whyte.
Sam Lockwood wears the Hook & Newnham Basics captain’s armband for the first time when Portsmouth visit the KGV.
Hook & Newnham Basis: Lockwood, Warner, J Buckingham, Robson, Willcock, James, Armstrong, Murrell, Gardner, Brewer.
Calmore Sports’ volunteer groundstaff are battling the elements to get the low lying Loperwood Park ground playable for New Milton’s visit.
Calmore Sports: Brewster, Carty, Dey, Fisher, Johns, Lavelle, Lee, Metcalfe, O'Connor, Perry, Wright.
Andover are in the same boat ahead of Sarisbury Athletic’s scheduled arrival at London Road.
Andover: Nyumbu, Adams, Jansen, Veettil, Ayers, O Banks-Williams, J Banks-Williams, S Williams, Treagus, Hooper, Mutumbami.
Teenage Australian Conor Cook has been in the UK for three weeks or more and has yet to step foot on a cricket ground, due to the wet weather.
But the spinner, who plays for Gordon in the powerful New South Wales Premier competition, should get his first chance for Rowledge against Hambledon, who have already played and won three national Village Cup matches.
Hambledon: Spencer Leclercq, James Marshall, Henry Glanfield, Justin Behrens, Jonty Oliver, Darryn Stares, Dan Mugford, Joel Eastment, Mark Butcher, Curtis Dixon, Ollie Bembridge
Rowledge: Ben Wish, Angus Watson, Richard Forbes, Ricky Yates, Ollie Baker, Olly Ryman, Connor Cook, Ben Davidson, David Lloyd, Jonty Seeborn, Max Martin.
Division 2 new boys Portsmouth & Southsea receive Liphook & Ripsley in their opener, with 2022 SPL3 runners-up Langley Manor at Hartley Wintney. Other matches: OTs & Romsey v Hook & Newnham Basics II, St Cross Symondians II v Sparsholt.
Waterlooville were due to be without Dave Birch, Josh McCoy and Alex Shephard for the trip to Fair Oak, but Lapstone Park is unfit.
Waterlooville: Reynolds, Brodhurst, Hudson, McGregor, Jackson, Mitchell, Jackson, Verma, Robinson, Parker, Hillman.